Term of Award
Fall 2017
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (open access)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Department of Biology
Committee Chair
John Van Stan
Committee Member 1
Scott Harrison
Committee Member 2
Tiehang Wu
Abstract
Transport pathways of microbes between ecosystem spheres (atmosphere, phyllosphere, and pedosphere) represent major fluxes in nutrient cycles and have the potential to significantly affect microbially-mediated biogeochemical processes. We quantified a previously unexamined microbial flux from the phyllosphere to the pedosphere during rainfall via throughfall (rainfall dripping from the canopy and through gaps) and stemflow (rainwater funneled down the stem). Bacterial concentrations were quantified using flow cytometry and validated with quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) assays for samples from a Quercus virginiana (oak)- forest with heavy epiphyte cover (Tillandsia usneoides, Spanish moss) in coastal Georgia (Southeastern USA). Bacteria concentrations (cells mL-1) and fluxes (both cells m-2 h-1 and cells m-2 mm-1 of rainfall) were greater in stemflow relative to throughfall. However, throughfall delivers water to a larger land area (ha) resulting in throughfall producing the greatest proportion of rainfall bacteria when fluxes are modelled as cells ha-1 year-1. Annual total (throughfall plus stemflow from both species) bacterial flux was 3.4 quadrillion cells year-1 ha-1. The role of this previously unquantified bacterial flux to the forest floor may be significant by contributing functional community members (if living) or labile lysates (if dead) to soil communities. Further, bacterial community structure was characterized via Next-generation sequencing and plotted for relative abundance and diversity throughout the sampling period.
Recommended Citation
Pound, Preston, "Quantification and Characterization of Net Precipitation Bacterial Flux From a Subtropical Epiphyte-Laden Oak Forest" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1692.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1692
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
